AUDIO NEWS: FMB calls slump in construction activity a wake up call and the building trade is popular with teenagers

The five-year low in construction activity is a wake up call for industry, the building trade proves popular with teenagers and new super wood could be used for skyscrapers

There was a sharp slump in construction activity in July — that’s according to a survey of construction purchasing managers.

The S&P Global PM Index fell at its steepest race since May 2020.

Buyers blamed the drop on site delays, reduced new business and weak customer confidence.

The Federation of Master Builders (FMB) described the figures as a ‘wake up call'.

Brian Berry, chief executive of the FMB said government initiatives to speed up planning, introduce greater borrowing flexibility and upskill the workforce had failed to “unlock much-needed momentum to drive economic growth.”

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A career in the building trade was amongst the most popular in a survey of 4,000 teenagers.

Doctors, engineers and teachers topped the list of most popular careers for a second year running.

Working in the building trade placed ninth on the list.

A quarter of the respondents to the 2025 Bitesize Careers survey also said an apprenticeship was their preferred route into a career.

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A US-based firm claims to have developed a form of wood that is stronger than steel.

With pressure mounting to decarbonise construction, the ‘super’ wood, developed by InventWood, opens the possibility of using timber for much larger buildings, such as skyscrapers.

Morwenna Spear, research fellow at Bangor University told the BBC, the new product was promising.

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